Pasta

Krista Galante, The Giving Back Girls/The Arc of Southington and Southington, May 14, 2014

The Giving Back Girls and The Arc of Southington would like to give a big thanks to our community for all their donations to make the "Pasta for Ben" so successful. We would also like to thank the many volunteers, our families and friends that made this night so great! Our Community rocks!

Krista Galante, The Giving Back Girls/The Arc of Southington and Southington, May 14, 2014

The Giving Back Girls and The Arc of Southington would like to give a big thanks to our community for all their donations to make the "Pasta for Ben" so successful. We would also like to thank the many volunteers, our families and friends that made this night so great! Our Community rocks!

By LINDA GIUCA and CHRISTOPHER PROSPERI and Special to The Courant, March 4, 2010

Imagination is the key ingredient in this pasta dish that Chris whipped up from some odds and ends in a nearly empty refrigerator. He needed a comfort dish but didn't feel like making a trip to the grocery store for supplies. Some of the ingredients — canned tomatoes, chicken stock, onion, the pasta, hot sauce and cheese — are staples that a prepared cook keeps on hand. Fresh veggies were absent from Chris' vegetable bin, but he found a package of baby peas in the freezer.

Will we finally begin cooking in a lighter way? Will the weather cooperate? Peas, greens and asparagus will soon come into season, but supermarket produce can inspire colorful, spring-like dishes. This orzo salad will span the next two seasons. Served warm, the salad complements grilled chicken breast or a pan-seared salmon fillet. Chilled and served cold or at room temperature, the dish works for summer eating as a light lunch or contribution to a potluck picnic. Cooks can easily add their personality to this recipe.

By DAVID OWENS, dowens@courant.com and The Hartford Courant, December 24, 2013

SOUTH WINDSOR - The town's volunteer firefighters are planning a fundraising pasta dinner for Friday to aid the Gness family, who suffered two tragedies last week. The first loss was Dec. 16, when Heather Gness' mother, Mary Stone, died suddenly on Monday. The second occurred Wednesday, when Gness returned home from making funeral arrangements for her mother to find her family's house ablaze. Heather Gness, her husband Christopher and their daughter Cheyenne lost everything in the blaze.

Cooking dinner in summer is a quick process when you can grill a piece of meat, fish or chicken, some vegetables, and add a salsa for garnish. But when the family wants something different, try pasta. Served with a light sauce and green salad, dinner can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. Here are two simple sauces, developed by the Pollio Italian Cheese Co. SPINACH AND RICOTTA SAUCE 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients until blended.

The kids are going back to school, and the age-old problem of what to pack for lunch is as much a part of the school year as class photos and homework. Children as well as adults need to eat a variety of foods. But getting children to eat different kinds of food is often easier said than done. The American Institute for Cancer Research, a nonprofit group that funds research on diet, nutrition and cancer, offers these tips for introducing new foods: If a child clings to his PB&J sandwich, don't deprive him of peanut butter.

By Karen Mamone To leave a message for Karen Mamone, please call 860-241-3700, or e-mail northeast@courant.com., December 29, 2002

I know this really nice guy from Vermont who almost died in a car crash. Now, he carries a cane and a picture in his wallet of his car squashed to the size of a phone booth. Afterward, he moved to sunny Florida. That's where I met him. He opened a restaurant like the one he had had in Vermont. But he hasn't been too happy. Business has been only so-so. Retired plumbers from Chicago are troublesome customers who want all-you-can-eat dinners for $4.95 at 3 p.m. And don't count on making any money on the wine or the booze.

One of the servers at Metro Bis enjoys cooking at home and isn't afraid to experiment. Ryan had his co-workers and his boss asking for seconds when he served a hearty, spicy pasta dish for a staff meal. Broccoli rabe and hot sausage often pair together, the heat of the sausage playing off the bitterness of the broccoli rabe. Today's recipe combines the two with pasta and adds other elements to achieve a medley of flavors. Red and yellow bell peppers contribute both sweetness and color, while an unusual ingredient for this particular dish - a bit of clam juice - lends a hint of the salty sea. For this dish, skip spaghetti or noodles and go with a shaped pasta such as farfalle or rotini.

The Democratic town committee will host its annual pasta night tonight from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the community center. A teacup auction is also featured. Tickets are available at the door and are $7 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for children under 12.

Patricia Sirois, East Hartford Lions Club and East Hartford, February 20, 2014

The East Hartford Lions Club is having their annual Pasta Dinner on Saturday, March 8 at 5 to 7 p.m. to be held at the First Congregational Church, 837 Main Street, East Hartford. An "All You Can Eat Menu" includes pasta, meatballs, bread, salad and dessert. Cost of the dinner is $8. Tickets can be purchased at the door. For further information, call 860-568-0065.

Middlewoods of Farmington, United Methodist Homes and Farmington, February 6, 2014

Middlewoods of Farmington Assisted Living Community will be hosting a "Pasta Night" to benefit Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society, Monday, March 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. The dinner will include salad, bread, beverages, choice of fettuccini alfredo or traditional spaghetti and meatballs, dessert, and raffles (BYOBW - bring your own beer/wine). The cost is $10 for adults and $6 for children under age 12. The event will be a sit-down dinner, but "to-go" orders are also available for pickup between 6 and 8 p.m. If you are interested in donating a raffle prize/basket or if you cannot attend but would like to support Relay for Life, please contact Ginny Brown by Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 860-284-5700.

Debbie Ladd, New Britain Youth Museum at Hungerford Park and Greater New Britain, January 24, 2014

The New Britain Youth Museum at Hungerford Park, 191 Farmington Avenue, Kensington will hold its annual Italian Night pasta dinner fundraiser to benefit Hungerford's animals on Friday, Jan. 24 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Penne pasta primavera, pasta with tomato sauce, with or without meatballs, salad, garlic bread, Italian cookies, and beverages are included. A complimentary glass of wine will be available for adults. Adults $10, seniors $8 children two through 11 $5; and children under age two are free.

By DAVID OWENS, dowens@courant.com and The Hartford Courant, December 24, 2013

SOUTH WINDSOR - The town's volunteer firefighters are planning a fundraising pasta dinner for Friday to aid the Gness family, who suffered two tragedies last week. The first loss was Dec. 16, when Heather Gness' mother, Mary Stone, died suddenly on Monday. The second occurred Wednesday, when Gness returned home from making funeral arrangements for her mother to find her family's house ablaze. Heather Gness, her husband Christopher and their daughter Cheyenne lost everything in the blaze.

By LINDA GIUCA, Special To The Courant and The Hartford Courant, December 9, 2013

Some of the best dishes in the world's cuisines came from the necessity to eat cheaply. Pasta e Fagioli - or pasta "fazool" in dialect - is one of those dishes. Besides being highly nutritious, macaroni and beans are cheap and filling. While this dish often is made only with cannellini beans, this recipe uses other varieties - red, kidney and pink beans - that add color and their distinctive flavors. Convenience is key here. A pantry stocked with pasta, canned beans and chicken broth plus staples such as fresh carrots, celery and onions equals dinner on the table in minutes.

Ann Halibozek, Cromwell Cross Country Booster Club and Cromwell, October 21, 2013

The 4th annual Frightful Pasta Night fundraiser at Woodside Intermediate School Cafeteria, will be held from 4:45-6:15 p.m., on Friday Oct. 25. There will be 4 sittings, approximately every 30 minutes. Join the Cromwell Cross Country team for fun and pasta before going to the Main Street Trick or Trunk! Over 250 meals were served last year. Children are encouraged to wear a costume. Tickets are $7 per person. Dinner includes pasta, salad, breadstick and water or lemonade. Desserts are available for separate purchase.

The parents of Torrington High School football players are sponsoring a pasta dinner and bake sale to raise money to rent lights for night football games. The dinner is from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. today at the high school cafeteria. The cost is $5. Children 5 and under eat for free.

The Republican town committee will host a pasta supper on May 23 at the VFW Hall from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Admission costs $6 for adults; $4 for children aged 5 to 12. Children under 4 eat free. Tickets are available at Petit's General Store Rogers Bakery or by calling (860) 747-6175. Nuchies Restaurant will cater.

By LINDA GIUCA, Special To The Courant and The Hartford Courant, September 5, 2013

There are some days when even the full 24 hours isn't enough time to accomplish everything on the to-do list. This includes finding time to plan dinner. Pasta is the great fallback. The myriad shapes and sizes means that we can eat noodles or macaroni seven times a week and still dig into a different looking dish each night. Plus, this favored carb's ability to meld with all sorts of ingredients overcomes monotony. Here is another go-to recipe to add to the fast but tasty category.